This invention relates to track link assemblies, and more specifically, to track link assemblies provided with roller bushings.
Over the years, there have been a number of proposals of track link assemblies for use with crawler-type vehicles wherein roller bushings are provided. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,003,025, issued Sept. 12, 1911 to Baker, and 1,367,820, issued Feb. 8, 1921 to Knaggs are representative of prior art designs.
In many applications, such track link assemblies provided with roller bushings are desirable in that good support for the lower run of the track link assembly, when installed on a crawler-type vehicle is provided. In addition, through the use of rollers, track squirm may be eliminated with the rollers providing better track guidance.
However, as is readily apparent from the disclosures of the above-identified patentees, the mechanisms are relatively complex, including a considerable number of parts. Moreover, access to various components is difficult to achieve and inasmuch as crawler-type vehicles using such track link assemblies typically operate in extremely rough terrains, frequent maintenance is required. The inaccessibility of the components and the complexity thereof, considerably increase the difficulty of performing servicing operations.
Moreover, in other constructions, the assembly may be asymmetrical such that where components performing essentially the same function are duplicated on opposite sides of the assembly, they are made with different tooling thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.